Suicide fears for victims holed up in motels

IT'S just a matter of time before a domestic violence victim who is forced to seek refuge in a motel room kills herself, frontline workers believe.

They're becoming increasingly concerned about the fragile mental health of women holed up in motels because their homes are not safe and there is no specialist emergency accommodation available for them.

In Queensland, DVConnect sends at least 33 women a day to motels and, in New South Wales, the government spent about $14million in 12 months on housing people in crisis in motels and caravan parks.